donate to nyc.gov – 100% of funds are dispersed to relief organizations and their efforts in the area.

starting today, bid on online auctions at charitybuzz.com organized by the cfda and vogue as part of fashion for sandy relief. you could win dinner with gwyneth paltrow, a chance to meet anna wintour during a behind-the-scenes tour of vogue….the list goes on and on. we’ve donated an exclusive tour of our 2 park avenue headquarters followed by a trip to the kate spade new york store for a private styling session with our president and creative director deborah lloyd, and brand stylist brad goreski–with a $2500 shopping spree. snazzy! 100% of the proceeds raised from the auction will go to the mayor’s fund to advance new york city and to other relief organizations in the tri-state area.

596 Acres, an organization in the far rockaways area of new york that helps transforms vacant public land into community resources, has taken a super active role in helping out the area–and some of their relief sites have even smartly set up online registries for items they need donated. check it out.

give to the united way either online or, if you live in the area, with the following specific items: canned food, hygiene products, blankets, flashlights with the appropriate batteries (batteries are very important!), and trash bags.

eat locally: fill your belly and promote a speedy recovery for restaurants impacted by the storm–chronicle your adventures by tagging your tweets and photos of what you’re eating out on instagram with #dineoutNYC to get others in the mood to nosh there, too.

go put a smile on someone’s face and spend the day with nursing home residents still at the park slope armory emergency shelter in brooklyn. volunteers are needed to help with food preparation, social support, daily routines and activities (chess, anyone?) to help take their minds off the trauma. drop in or stay for a while; they’d love the help–especially during overnight shifts. they need 50 day volunteers and 40 each night, and are in particular need of volunteers who speak spanish and russian. sign up here and here.

in manhattan, donate blood at any of these locations: met life donor center at 200 park avenue, citigroup donor center at 153 east 53rd street, and the port authority donor center on 8th avenue and 41st street, in the south wing.